Poems XI–XIV: Mourning His Brother

In the second set of poems written in the year after the death of his older brother Isaac, Samuel ha-Nagid narrated the period that began with the end of the month of mourning (sheloshim), during which time he continued to suffer and mourn intensely. Yet as time passed, ha-Nagid was further distressed by the fact that his sadness began to abate, and he labeled himself “faithless” and a “traitor” for daring to return to his routine. After pondering his own demise during a visit to his brother’s grave, ha-Nagid composed the longest poem in this series, bitterly describing his sleepless nights and his pain at hearing his brother’s name.